Harness.



M. B. GOOING.

HARNESS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.S0,1908.

Patented Sept. 14, 1909.

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MARTIN BIRD GOOING, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

HARNESS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 14, 1909.

Application filed November 30, 1908. Serial No. 485,175.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARTIN BIRD Goonvo, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improve ments in Harness, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the general class of harness but more particularly to a track harness or one adapted'to be used for light drafts.

()ne of the objects of the invention is to provide a harness whereby the breast straps, collars and hames may be dispensed with.

Another object of the invention is to dispense with the breeching.

Another object of the invention is to provide a harness which may be readily attached to the draft animal. It is also the purpose of the invention to improve generally upon the construction of harness now generally employed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a harness constructed in accordance with my invention and applied to a horse. Fig. 2 is a plan view of a girth which forms a part of the harness. Fig. 3 is a top view of a double harness applied and Fig. 4 is a plan view of one of the cinch plates.

The form of my invention selected for illustration, comprises a girth formed of a plurality of sections connected together by cinch plates having portions for connection with tugs and hold-backs, whereby a pull upon the plates in either aforward or rear-. ward direction will tend to constrict the girth around the body of the draft-animal so as to prevent slipping of said girth longitudinally of the horses body.

By reference to Fig. :2, it will be seen that the intermediate girth section comprises a strip 1, at the respective ends of which are plates 2 and 3 provided with headed pins or lugs t and 5. The intermediate girth section is also provided with rings (3 and 7 by which reins may be guided from the bridle. A check hook 8 is also secured to the intermediate section in any well known manner. The intermediate section 1 is connected to two end sections 9 and 10 respectively, which also comprise strips. The section 9 has a plate 11 fastened to its end in any. well known manner preferably by rivets) and said plate 11 is provided with a headed pin or lug 12, similar in construction to the plate 2 and lug t. At the end of the section 9, opposite to the end at which the plate 11 is located, are two flexible tongues 13 and it having perforations l5 and 16, whereby said tongues are adapted to be engaged by buckles l7 and 18 at the free end of the section 10. The section 10 is also provided with buckles 1S) and 20 to receive the tongues 21 and of a strap 23 having at one of its ends a plate 24!: provided with a headed pin or lug to be received in a slot in a cinch plate. The strap and buckle connection for the section 10 will enable the girth to be extended or contracted to fit the horse.

The several sections 1, 9 and 10 may be provided with suitable padding The ends of the sections 9 and 10 adjacent to the respective ends of the section 1 are connected to said section 1 by cinch plates. Each cinch plate 27 is provided with longitudinal slots 29 and 3-0 intersected by an opening 31. T he plates 27 are also provided with rings or openings 32 and 33 at the respective ends thereof, and with an opening an at one of the longitudinal edges of each of said plates.

Hold-back straps 35 are also provided at y the respective ends of which are snap hooks 3G and 3? of approved construction. One of said snap hooks on the hold-back strap is adapted to engage an eye or similar device 38 on shaft 39, while the other snap hook is athipted to engage one of the openings (for example, the opening of the cinch plate). Another ring or opening (for example, the one designated 33) of the cinch plate is adapted to be engaged by a snap hook d0 on the tug 411 which tug may be suitably fastened to the tliill or shaft. 39 as for example, by the ring 42.

hen the girth is applied as shown in Fig. 1 and the tongues 13 and 1d are pulled tight in the buckles l7 and 1S and secured, it will only be necessary to snap the hook 36 in the ring 32 of the cinch plate and attach the hook 40 to the ring 33 at the opposite end of said cinch plate. It now, the reins 43 are passed through the rings 6 and 7 and the check rein as has its loop 45 engaged by the check hook S, the horse will be harnessed ready to be driven. It is understood, of course, that the bridle 4L6 is of the usual construction. As the horse moves forward, the tug 4E1 of which there is one on each side of the horse, will exert a pull on the cinch. plate from the ring so as to give a slightly pivotal movement to the respective cinch Cir plates and tighten the girth effectively around the body of the horse so as to prevent its slipping and so that the vehicle may be drawn. When the horse is standing still, the cinch plates will be permitted to assume their normal positions as shown in Fig. l and the pressure upon the body of the horse will be relieved because the girth will be permitted to be slightly expanded. If the horse backs so as to pull on the hold-back or if the vehicle is going down hill, the resistance will be offered by the ring 32 of each cinch plate causing the respective cinch plates to again slightly swing out of normal positions so as to tighten the girth. The cinch plates may be attached to the girth sections by inserting the headed lugs or pins through the openings 31 which openings 31 are larger in diameter than the diameter of the heads on the pins. It then, the pins are slid along the slats 29 and 30 which are less in width than the diameter of the heads on the pins, said plates 27 will be securely connected to the respective girth sections. By reversing the operation just described, the cinch plates may be readily detached.

In Fig. 3, I have shown a slightly modified form of harness in which the girth and its appurtenances are of identical construction to that shown in Fig. 1 but instead of connecting hold-back to a shaft or thill, the hold-back straps 35 are connected to a neck yoke 47 of approved construction and supported by a pole 48. The tugs 41 are replaced by traces 49 and 50 on the ofisides of the horses and tuges ll are connected to the cinch plates and to ring 42 on pole 48. The traces 4:9 and 50 are connected to a swingletree 51 carried by the pole. The reins, bridles and check reins are of the usual constructions employed with double harnesses.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the same construction of girth and cinch plates will be employed for either double or single harness and that the girth may be readily modified to drive horses single or double.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a harness, a girth comprising a plurality of sections, cinch members connecting said girth sections, and tugs for connection with said cinch members, whereby when a pull is exerted upon one of the tugs on one of the cinch members the girth will be constricted.

2. In a harness, a sectional girth, and tug engageable members connecting the adjacent ends of the said sections.

3. In a harness, a sectional girth and cinch plates connecting said sections each of said plates having slots intersected by a relatively large opening.

4. In a harness, a sectional girth and cinch plates connecting said sections, each of said plates having slots intersected by a relatively large opening and tug receiving means carried by said plates.

5. In a harness, a sectional girth, each section having a lug provided with a head, and cinch plates having slots of lesser width than the diameter of said heads and open ings intersecting said slots of greater diameter than said heads.

The foregoing specification signed at San Francisco, California, this fifth day of November, 1908.

MARTIN BIRD GOOING.

In presence ot ROBERT E. Ross, THOMAS J. DAVIS. 

